


That's Where My Love Goes

by jintrix



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Dragging Fic, M/M, Romantic Soulmates, Slow Paced, Soulmates, soulmate clock
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-27
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-09-28 13:17:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17183711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jintrix/pseuds/jintrix
Summary: Late in the evening, Kyungsoo receives his soulmate clock that counts down to three days when he’ll meet the person soul bonded to him.





	That's Where My Love Goes

Three consecutive knocks on the door got Kyungsoo pausing on his first movie of the day. His fluffy white cat purrs from his side as he hastily moves to the door flinging it open.  
  
A guy inches taller than him greets him with an amicable smile, palm resting behind his neck. "Uh, h-hi!"  
  
In mortification, the crumbs of the biscuit clings on his black tee and he consciously brushes them off coolly before turning up to his visitor. "Well, yes hello, how can I help you?"  
  
"Uh, I'm your new neighbor next door. I just moved yesternight. I'm Kim Jongin by the way." Two hands are proffered for a handshake and Kyungsoo raises a brow before taking Jongin's left hand.  
  
"Do Kyungsoo," his straight reply. He clears his throat and shoves his hands in his pockets.  
  
"Nice to meet you Kyungsoo-ssi," Jongin's grateful reply and his thick lips form into a thin line, his hand reaching the back of his head mussing his looking-like silky hair, hesitating at first. "So..."  
  
Kyungsoo stares at him expectantly. His arms folding this time, waiting and kind of evaluating his new neighbor’s features. Not that he’s going to judge him physically, but for imprinting the physical image of his neighbor thoroughly so if he sees him somewhere along the way, it will register in his mind that ‘ah, my neighbor.’  
  
"I just want to ask if you have a screwdriver that I can borrow? Uh, Mr. Ahn isn't around and the next neighbor to my left is kinda in the middle of--" a pink blush swipes his cheeks and Kyungsoo can notice the man's habit of messing his soft strands of hair. And to save him from blurting out the words, Kyungsoo nods and cuts him off.  
  
"I understand," a firm smile. "Wait here, I'll get the screwdriver." Kyungsoo treads back to his apartment leaving the front door wide open to welcome the new tenant next door.  
  
Searching for his toolbox under the kitchen sink, Kyungsoo can see that his new neighbor has stepped in, checking his place.  
  
Once he retrieved the screwdriver kit, but there are just too many sizes to choose from after opening it, Kyungsoo isn't sure what type of screwdriver Jongin was looking for.  
  
"Jongin-ssi?" He turns to the man who is too busy roaming his eyes around his place. When he gets his attention, he continues, "Come here and pick up the screwdriver you need."  
  
Nodding politely, Jongin walks towards Kyungsoo and crouches down beside him checking the tools. He carefully examines the tips of the tools before picking up the smaller one.  
  
"Can I borrow your pliers too? And uh, electrical tape?" Jongin's shy question. He's hesitant to ask at first, but Kyungsoo doesn't mind lending him some of his tools. “Well, my electric fan. It’s my fan that I need to fix. Uh, yeah.” Coyly, he scratches his cheek.  
  
"Yeah, sure. Is that all you need?" Jongin hums and nods in reply, a smile adorns his face. "If you need help with anything, just knock on my door and I'll try my best to help you."  
  
They both straightened up. Jongin holds the tools he needed and the smile he has blossoms to a huge grin. Then he bows. "Thank you, Kyungsoo-ssi. I'll come back later to return these and yes,” nodding vigorously, “I'd just knock on your door. Thanks really."  
  
A grin is directed back to Jongin and Kyungsoo politely returns back another smile. Jongin, to his quick evaluation, seems to be the type of a shy-kid-next-door unlike their other neighbors, snob and unapproachable, so Kyungsoo thinks they might get along. He might finally have a good-natured friend in the complex and hopefully, it’s Jongin that he’s been waiting for.  
  
"No, problem."  
  
The door closes.  
  
  
  


 

~*~

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
It's been three weeks since Jongin moved next door and it's been twenty-one days since they had been seeing each other in the hallway or when they would step out of their respected rooms at the same time to go somewhere.  
  
Over those three weeks, whenever they would see each other, hi's and hello's were exchanged. Sometimes good morning's, good afternoon's or good evening's, depending on the time they would catch each other whether as they go up or down the stairs, passing each other by the hallways, and sometimes even when they send their trash bags outside the building and they were all just casual greetings, until today.  
  
First Sunday of the month is always allotted to visit his brother’s family and on that day, coincidentally, is an important day for them as they visited the grave of their parents. It’s the day of their parents’ death anniversary and it had been four years since they passed away. Now, Kyungsoo is on his way home after seeing his elder brother and his own family.  
  
Waiting for the lights to turn red, Kyungsoo's eyes flick up to the sky as he notices the forming dark clouds above. Cars, buses, cabs and bicycles pass by him. There's still twenty seconds to go before the light changes and the three students before him were telling each other that there were drops of rain they could feel pricking their skin. It was agreed then by the elderly woman next to him and the seemingly like businessman that has guardedly opened up his blue umbrella to combat the upcoming rain. Though, the other five people with him are still nonchalant about the upcoming rain, Kyungsoo is too.  
  
But the drops soon found their way on his skin and the twenty seconds ticking at the stop light finally turned to zero before they all crossed the road.  
  
Then it starts pouring.  
  
As an instinct, Kyungsoo runs towards the convenience store he easily spotted. He has an umbrella with him, but he didn't use it at all, too lazy to brought it out, unfortunately.  
  
Soon as he gets inside the establishment with the others who are all looking for a temporary shelter while it's pouring, Kyungsoo wipes off his doused forehead and arms and thankful that he isn't soaked to the bone and also thankful that this convenience store is just three meters away from the pedestrian lane. It’s a relief, of course.  
  
"Kyungsoo-ssi?" Someone calls and as he turns around, Jongin towers over him. Surprise looming on his face as he meets his neighbor unexpectedly.  
  
"Jongin-ssi, hello, what are you doing here?" Kyungsoo's eyes dart from the man's head to toe, noticing how he's wearing a uniform like the man in the counter he has on and to why there’s a nametag adorning his breast pocket, though it actually makes sense as he instantly realizes it.  
  
"I'm working here," says Jongin, adjusting the green cap on his head that has the word 24/7 sewn on it.  
  
Really, makes sense.  
  
Kyungsoo gives him a surprising look, head turning on the glass stickers from the front that says '24/7 convenience store' to fully confirm it and as it sinks to him completely, he hums and nods, then his lips form an 'o' shape before flashing Jongin a brazen smile. "Oh."  
  
"Let me get you a chair. The seats at the back are all occupied. Wait for a sec."  
  
Instantly, Kyungsoo puts a hand on his arm to halt his steps. "Thank you, Jongin, but I'm fine standing here. These other people might find it rude of you if I’m the only person you’ll offer a chair. Makes sense, right?" He smiles suggestively, poring his eyes from the other four people around him, waiting for the rain to stop, before setting his eyes back to Jongin to make sure he understood what he meant.  
  
Jongin's jaw hangs and then closes as he resorts to nodding his head in understanding. Smiling sheepishly, he says, "How about I buy you a cup of ramen? No need to pay. I'd cut it from my pay. Please?" His eyes have glint on them as they look through Kyungsoo’s wide, rounded eyes.  
  
"Jongin, really no need."  
  
"You dropped your formalities." Jongin grins appreciatively and they walk over the corner as people trickle inside to look for something to buy.  
  
"Well," shifting his head around, "I mean, Jongin-ssi." Kyungsoo clears his throat bashfully, stuffing his hands in his pockets and still, Jongin has that wide smile directed to him. To be quite honest, he finds that smile attractive. But he'll never mention that. Not yet, for now.  
  
A small laughter came from Jongin and Kyungsoo turns his head away to hide his flushed cheeks.  
  
"Just drop the formalities and please, just get one cup of ramen to warm you up, okay?" And Kyungsoo acquiesces, can’t find to reject Jongin’s friendly offer for a nice cup of instant ramen.  
  
The downpour has finally stopped, but the sky remains cloudy and gray. The people milling around the convenience store has dwindled as most of them left and braved the rain shower, covering themselves with their bags, umbrellas, though some just walked under the shower clouds without a care of being drenched. It was a gloomy day for a cloudy rain shower afternoon.  
  
Kyungsoo is sitting right in front of the glass walls where his big cup of ramen sits on the counter, smoke billowing from it, tickling his nostrils with its seafood smell. He rubs his wooden chopsticks together before wolfing down his food capriciously. Apparently, he's hungry and so he takes his time eating while watching the people and vehicles pass by outside.  
  
Halfway to his cup of ramen, a can of soda was shoved close to his face and as he turns up his head, Jongin's amicable smile greets him.  
  
"You don't need to--" Kyungsoo was about to turn down the offered can of soda, but Jongin is insistent. He’s been persistent since they met earlier that day.  
  
"Take it."  
  
Kyungsoo can’t refuse and so he accepts it gratefully. "Thanks."  
  
Jongin sits right next to him; an arm propped up to rest his chin on his palm as he stares outside.  
  
Kyungsoo takes a sip of his soda, stealing glances at the male beside him. "Is it okay for you to sit there? It's your shift, so--"  
  
"My shift ends at 4," then he directs his pouty lips on the wall clock that reads 4:05. "so I can accompany you now. I told my manager you're my neighbor and you might as well want some company?" Jongin tilts his head adorably, smiling prettily.  
  
Kyungsoo sips the broth of his ramen, cackling a little before grinning at Jongin. “Do I look lonely to you?”  
  
The other male folds his arms across his chest and quirks a brow. “I’m just being a good neighbor. I owe you that time during my first day at the compound, so might as well return the favour.”  
  
Kyungsoo hums in response, slurping his noodles soundly, carefully and admittedly, it’s a good bargain; Kyungsoo lending him some tools and Jongin accompanying him during a gloomy weather.  
  
"Maybe afterwards we can go home together too," Kyungsoo’s suddenly humble offer in which Jongin accepts without batting an eyelash. This could be a good start to build a good friendship with one of his neighbors. Well, at least, Jongin is willing to be his friend.  
  
Silence hangs in the air for awhile except from the rustling of paper bags, footsteps and quiet chit-chats from the customers scattered around the store.  
  
Carefully, Kyungsoo feeds himself with noodles when he felt eyes boring on him. He whips his head towards Jongin whose eyes are intently glued to him. "Do I have something on my face?"  
  
Jongin graces a mischievous smile, shaking his head. "I'm sorry about that," he rubs the back of his nape timidly, even his lips forming into a pout which admittedly, Kyungsoo finds adorable as he straightens up on his seat.  
  
Kyungsoo clears his throat, shrugging away the awkwardness that might bound to take over them.  
  
"So, how's living around here?" Kyungsoo brings up, sipping on his soda drink.  
  
Jongin's lips curve up in reply, "I like it here. Everyone's nice and I just have a feeling I should be here. Though, our neighbors in the complex seem to be unfriendly, except for you, of course.” He cackled briefly and Kyungsoo joins him to it as it is the truth. “My mom kept on telling me to just stay at home, but, something's telling me to go out and explore. That kind of feeling." Jongin shrugged afterwards.  
  
"Oh, so that's why you moved? Because you feel like you have to?" Kyungsoo quirks a brow, unbelieving to Jongin's reason of moving, but he could clearly see the sincerity in his words through his eyes.  
  
Jongin nods adamantly. "Yes. But also, I kind of want to live independently, get to know more about what's out there since my parents are very strict and overprotective to me. That’s why I moved.” He puffs air and pouts, resting his chin on his fist again.  
  
"I see. How old are you by the way? I haven't asked you before, but you seem like a university student to me." Kyungsoo wets his dry lips with his tongue and then flinging his trash on the bin right at the corner successfully.  
  
"I'm twenty-one. A graduating student. I'm taking Journalism in Yonsei." Jongin says with a proud grin on his face and Kyungsoo feels a surge of happiness within him to know that Jongin has a tight attachment to his major, based from the smile and light crossing his face, because there are just some people who would not take pride of the major their majoring in, so seeing Jongin proudly telling him his major makes him happy.  
  
"So you want to be a reporter someday?" He asks in a teasing tone, bushy brows waggling.  
  
"I want to be a professor," Jongin chuckles a little, his eyes tracing outside and resting his chin on both of his palms. "But maybe I would write for a publication for a year or two before I take my MA and before I enter that profession." Jongin turns to Kyungsoo. "How about you? How old are you? You seem like a university student to me too." The boy smirked.  
  
Instead of feeling offended like he used to, Kyungsoo laughs it off. He's used to be mistaken as the younger one whenever he meets someone new. A grin pulls up his face, amused, but proud. "I'm twenty-three. I'm working home, online. Graphic artist."  
  
"Wow, I love art too." Jongin's eyes brightened and his body immediately shifted to face Kyungsoo completely. "I love art, but I suck on it and you're a graphic artist so that's really amazing, hyung!"  
  
Kyungsoo's ears perk up from how Jongin casually and unexpectedly called him  _hyung_  as if it's the most normal thing in the world. Truth be told but Kyungsoo isn't used to someone calling him hyung as most of his friends and acquaintances are older than him. But maybe with Jongin, it will be something he has to get used to as they will surely meet occasionally from now on.  
  
"Do you want me to show you some of my works later?" Kyungsoo offers, and a rush of proud and joy to be able to show his works with someone surges within him. He takes pride on his profession anyway.  
  
It didn't take long for Jongin to give his absolute pleasure to see those artworks by nodding and flashing his utmost excitement to Kyungsoo. "Now I know the reason why you don't go out that much. Being an online graphic artist must be taking a lot of your time at home, but for sure you’re having fun doing it."  
  
Kyungsoo doesn't deny that. "Apart from I am busy I’m just really a house person. Besides, I have Ringgo, my cat with me."  
  
Jongin's chuckles sound sweet to Kyungsoo's ears. "Speaking of pets, I have three poodles back at home, Monggu. Janggu and Janggah. And hyung, i like your cat's name. It's cute." He coos. “Your tabby cat is cute too, but he was so shy when I met him back then.”  
  
Kyungsoo cracks up, hand over his belly, eyes crinkling as he listens to Jongin talk about Ringgo in fascination. They’d really get along, no doubt on it.  
  
And throughout another hour, Jongin told Kyungsoo a lot of things about his babies and even showed him photos of them from his phone. Babies, meaning, his three poodles. Meanwhile, Kyungsoo has taken a huge interest with all Jongin's stories about his pets. He listened to the stories about how they got them, about those little moments Jongin would never ever forget, about them visiting their veterinarian and a whole lot of things until it came to the point they talked about their childhood memories, ambitions and even expectations in the future. It was the longest conversation they had as neighbors of three weeks and counting and they just hit it off, getting along like they've known each other for quite a long time.  
  
It's getting darker when they stepped out of the convenience store. Jongin bade goodbye to his co-workers and manager, before they tread to the streets home.  
  
"It's cold," Jongin comments, rubbing his hands for warmth but it was fruitless.  
  
"Blame the downpour earlier." Kyungsoo cackles, eyes crinkling and lips forming a heart shape. He looks up at the navy blue cloudy sky. "I think it will rain again tomorrow."  
  
Jongin agrees, humming, head tilted up to the sky. "You should bring your umbrella if you are going out."  
  
"I always have my umbrella with me here in my bag," Kyungsoo says as a matter of fact, gripping the strap of his sling bag.  
  
Apprehension crosses Jongin's face and he is about to speak when Kyungsoo beats him to it. "You'll ask me why I didn't use it earlier?" he chuckles quietly, his fisted hand over his lips. "the truth is, some force prohibited me to use it."  
  
The taller man's face scrunched up into a look of confusion. "A-A force? What f-force?"  
  
Kyungsoo gives him a hard look before his lips break into a huge grin. "A force called laziness."  
  
"Hyuuuung, I thought it was something serious!" Jongin whines with a pout, making him look like a five year old who had his favorite candy stolen from him.  
  
Kyungsoo continues to cackle. The sight of Jongin pouting like a kid amuses him. An urge to pinch his cheeks is even kicking, but self control is the best option for now.  
  
"You look funny," Kyungsoo snorts, his arm automatically extends to ruffle Jongin's hair.  
  
"I don't look funny." Jongin stares at Kyungsoo like a puppy being petted and Kyungsoo realizes that he had just stepped further by touching Jongin affectionately so he retracts back his hand and just slides both of his hands in his pockets, before letting out an awkward laugh. But admittedly, he found Jongin cute that way.  
  
"Let's just hurry home."  
  
They arrive back twenty minutes later at their apartment complex. Stories here and there were thrown for each other. There's just a lot to tell and Kyungsoo didn't find talking with Jongin a waste of time at all.  
  
"If I was an artist, I will paint sceneries and dancers doing ballet." Jongin follows Kyungsoo inside his apartment room once the door was unlocked.  
  
Kyungsoo flicks on the lights and Ringgo, his fluffy white haired cat greets him with a purr. Kyungsoo crouches down to pet Ringgo, smiling as he does so. "I love sceneries too. And maybe if you were only an artist like me, I would love to do some collaboration with you and I might paint singers singing then."  
  
“I’d definitely love to do collab with you.” Jongin crouches down too and runs his fingers through Ringgo's fur. His smile widens and his eyes gleam in affection as he pets the cat. "I miss my poodles."  
  
Kyungsoo stands up and tramps towards his working desk. Stacks of folders and papers were laid on it and Kyungsoo pulls out a red clear folder and skims through it before handing it to Jongin. "Here, Jongin."  
  
The other male has Ringgo in his arms when he moved closer to Kyungsoo, his eyes flicking on the graphic designs shown to him. "You're really good." He grins in awe. He puts Ringgo down and holds the clear book before settling on the couch and checking every work Kyungsoo has poured time and sweat to finish. "Wow, I like this wolf drawing. It's very detailed."  
  
Kyungsoo sits on the opposite side and smiles. "That's one of my favorites too. I think I took three hours to finish that. Almost three, but it's satisfying."  
  
Jongin turns the pages. A smile of awe graces his face which both fascinates and amuses Kyungsoo at the same time. "How many clear books do you have?" He returns the book to Kyungsoo and looks over at his working desk once again.  
  
Kyungsoo gets up and slides back the clear book to its rack. "I got seven. Here, check this one," he hands Jongin a green folder this time. "Most of my works there are flowers of different kinds."  
  
Jongin looks through it with the same reaction he's showing a few moments ago from the previous portfolio. "How about people? Do you draw them too?"  
  
Kyungsoo puts back the folder on his desk and this time pulls out a sketch pad. "I do," then he hands it to Jongin who in return marvels on every page of the majestic masterpiece Kyungsoo's hand had drawn. “And maybe next time, I can draw a portrait of you.”  
  
“Can you do it right now, then?”  
  
“One day, Jongin.”  
  
In the end, without hesitation Kyungsoo showed everything he has to Jongin and in return compliments every design and artwork he shows to him. It was a fun exchange and it was another barrage of give and take facts about themselves as they learn more about each other deeply. The night was warm and serene. Kyungsoo liked the presence Jongin gives and he wouldn’t deny the particular stir in his chest whenever he sees the other man smiling at him.  
  
  
  


 

~*~

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Jongin and Kyungsoo got along pretty easily. They're personalities match and they just got too attached recently that they started seeing each other often outside their apartment rooms and sometimes at the convenience store where Jongin works. There were even times Jongin would crash inside Kyungsoo’s place, doing his homework on his laptop quietly while Kyungsoo works on his newest designs. Jongin would tell him stories from his university, from how strict his Media Ethics professor is to how deadlines are stressing him out now. In return, Kyungsoo would tell him stories too when he was still in university to how he spent two days straight with coffee and sleep deprivation just to finish his deadlines as well as his thesis.  
  
Kyungsoo loves Jongin’s company. He feels at ease with him and he would always make sure to at least exchange even a few words with him every single day no matter how busy they are with their individual deadlines to meet. To Kyungsoo’s mirth, he’s relieved that they both established being friends. So weekly, they’d spend an hour or two going to coffee shops despite Jongin’s abhorrence to coffee’s smell and taste, but Kyungsoo is grateful for Jongin who’s always on the go to accompany him for his cup of Americano trips.  
  
When they both found out how closer their birthdays are with each other, that’s when they both agreed that it was the reason why they easily got along.  
  
  
  


 

~*~

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kyungsoo receives a message one morning from one of his close friends back in university. It's been awhile since he hung out with them and receiving a text from Chanyeol is one hell of a surprise, but he can take what he can get for now, so he reads the text.  
  
  
I need to talk to you. Can I come over in the afternoon?  **-Chanyeol**  
  
Sure :)  **-Kyungsoo**  
  
  
Hours later, Kyungsoo finishes his work as early as he could. Once he has passed the logo he was asked to do by his employer through email, he briskly moves to the kitchen to prepare a simple lunch for Chanyeol.  
  
When he's done, his phone beeps from his pocket along with the knocks on his door. The food is perfectly placed in the middle of the table and when he places the last plate on it, he saunters towards the door and pulls it open. There, stands his friend Chanyeol looking restless and upset.  
  
He welcomes him in. "It's been awhile since we last met."  
  
Chanyeol hums in answer and Kyungsoo can already tell something's wrong with his friend, probably the reason why he wanted to see him.  
  
He leads him to the dining table and pulls a chair for him before sitting across the table.  
  
"I got my clock," Chanyeol says directly, but a hint of bitterness dripping from his voice. "Two days ago."  
  
Kyungsoo suddenly finds it hard to breathe.  
  
Chanyeol shifts closer to Kyungsoo. He shows his wrist where it reads 14 hours remaining before he gets the soulmate symbol of his own and meets the person, the soulmate, for real.  
  
Kyungsoo doesn't know what to say. He's choosing his words carefully in his head as Chanyeol is the only person he knows who hates the concept of meeting soulmates through clocks and symbols. His hatred for it is too strong that he's not sure whether to congratulate his friend about it or just talk sense to him that maybe it's not what he thinks it is, but who is he to defend the sole purpose of soulmate clocks when he too doesn't know anything much about it, so he resorts to just saying an, "Oh."  
  
"I don't want to meet this person at all. I don't want to give my everything to someone without the assurance of ‘us’ lasting for long.” Chanyeol sounds distressed and Kyungsoo can’t say a word or two but can only hum in response. “I just thought you’d know. You’re the only person who knows of my feelings regarding soulmates.”  
  
“I don’t know what to say,” Kyungsoo hangs his head low. “I’m sorry.”  
  
A smile spreads across Chanyeol’s lips and rests his palm on Kyungsoo’s shoulder, shaking his head. “No need to be sorry.”  
  
“I’m a useless friend.”  
  
“No, you’re not, dude. What are you saying?” Chanyeol snorts and Kyungsoo gives him an eye roll when he truly feels worthless for not giving his friend a good advice that he deserves. However, Kyungsoo sucks on that part—giving advices and offering a comfort to a downhearted friend.  
  
“Still,” Kyungsoo deeply inhales and exhales, trying to conjure up at least one good advice that he can offer to his friend, but wasn’t able to come up with one.  
  
“You know, let’s just watch movies. I rented some that I know you’d definitely like. I came here for your company, Kyungsoo and besides, I miss my friend.” The grin on Chanyeol’s face is enough for Kyungsoo’s self loathing to diminish and get replaced with determined energy to at least brighten up his friend’s day through his company.  
  
But at the back of his mind, there are two things that still disturbs him. One is, the fact that he’s not good at comforting a friend and secondly, the dread that pools in his stomach as the day comes when he has to meet his soulmate.  
  
  
  


 

~*~

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hyung? Would you join me for--" he hesitates and Kyungsoo patiently waits by not being too pushy for Jongin to spill it. "uhm--uh--would you, would you--"  
  
A small laugh erupts coming from Kyungsoo that has Jongin's cheeks dust in pink. Kyungsoo momentarily stops and says an immediate sorry.  
  
"I just want to invite you for dinner," Jongin finally says it bravely without a hint of nervousness and tension in his voice.  
  
Kyungsoo's eyes gleam from the invitation that he won’t turned down for sure as a grin makes its way on his lips. "Take out or home cooked dinner?"  
  
Jongin looks down on his forefingers he has been poking together timidly. "H-Home cooked."  
  
"You cooked? I thought you said before you hate cooking and the kitchen isn't user friendly at all?" Kyungsoo teases by faux disbelief, yet the grin on his face remains.  
  
Jongin peers at him through his lashes, nodding firmly with his infamous pout that Kyungsoo has grown to like seeing. "I'm actually done cooking and Youtube helped, hyung. I watched some tutorials that are easy to understand and it's a miracle I was able to cook some of the dishes I didn't think I'll be able to cook one day." Jongin jutted his lips at Kyungsoo. “Believe me?”  
  
Snorting, he exclaimed. "That's great!" Kyungsoo compliments, his eyes sparkling from glee and pride. He extends a hand to ruffle Jongin's hair who looks like a tamed puppy at the moment, as always. "Glad you're trying. And sure, I'll have dinner with you. How could I turn down your offer, Jongin? I can never turn them down."  
  
The night approaches and Kyungsoo sits on one of the cerulean couches inside Jongin's apartment room. He has Ringgo on his lap, his fingers running on white soft fur of his lovely cat while waiting for Jongin.  
  
But a minute later on, Jongin in a pink apron appears from his kitchen and calls Kyungsoo. "Hyung, it's ready."  
  
Ringgo hops off from Kyungsoo's lap as it follows his owner to the kitchen area, but firstly preparing Ringgo’s meal first at the foot of the kitchen counter.  
  
"What's on our menu for tonight?"  
  
"I prepared chicken teriyaki and jajangmyeon," Jongin says with a proud grin as he lifts the lid of each food container revealing the scrumptious dinner Jongin cooked heartily.  
  
“Looks good to me.”  
  
"Dig in, hyung!"  
  
And so they eat with childlike and endearing smiles on their faces while talking about their days, whereas Kyungsoo told Jongin about his new project for a clothing line company, Jongin told him in return, and a topic he didn’t see coming, how he had just witnessed two customers in the convenience store crying in bliss for having each other as soulmates when the clocks on their wrists turned to zero and the same symbol, replacing the numbers on it, appeared as a lifetime tattoo on their wrists, indicating that they were soul bonded.  
  
"Soulmates huh?" Kyungsoo mutters, putting down his spoon and fork, lips tightening into a thin line. Maybe no matter how he tried to evade that topic, he won’t be able to escape the reality that in the world they live in, soulmate watches and symbols are a strong force of nature. "Do you believe in it?"  
  
"I do," Jongin nods, grinning and recounts how he had witnessed his parents' endless love with each other. "My parents are the living proof that makes me believe in it. Although, it kind of scares me too as some don't last despite the same symbols tattooed on their wrists. It's scary especially if you don't know who the person is once you meet him."  
  
"My parents are actually lucky they knew each other since they were kids. They're good friends until the clocks appeared and they had the same tattoo on their wrists. The interesting part is, they learned to love each other and I'm here, my big brother is here, that’s the living proof of their love. But that doesn't make me believe in the concept of soulmates completely. There are just too many holes to it."  
  
"I understand. It's interesting and scary at the same time. What if someone's soulmate is a prisoner? a killer? thief? someone abusive? right?" Jongin sighs, a frown on his lips.  
  
"I have a friend," Kyungsoo begins, eyes downcast on his empty plate, greased with soy bean sauce. "He got his soulmate clock yesterday and told me how scared he was to know who the person is. He's afraid his fate will be like his parents', fell in love because of the symbols but later on fell out of love. But what can he do? It's there and he can never erase what fate, whatever higher being out there has put on his wrist." Kyungsoo looks right into Jongin's eyes and holds his gaze. "Do you want to meet your soulmate?"  
  
"As much as I want to choose the soulmate of my own, I can't. And,” Jongin pauses and stares intently into Kyungsoo’s eyes that got him squirming a bit on his seat from how in depth the other man’s gaze is, so it has him averting his eyes away, heat rising up his cheeks. “I might defy fate and be with the person I want to be with.”  
  
A humourless laugh spills out from Kyungsoo’s lips. It was an unnecessary laugh that turns to small chuckles that has Jongin’s eyes widening from the sudden outburst. “Oh my god, I’m sorry, that was uncalled for.”  
  
Embarrassed and ashamed of what he just did, Kyungsoo side glances at Jongin who expects him to be giving him a disapproving look, but contrary to his expectation, Jongin’s hearty laughter reaches his ears and his head turns completely to him, tracing his eyes at Jongin’s crescent moon eyes and rows of perfect white teeth flashed to him. “You’re cute. And you have a black stain on your teeth.”  
  
Kyungsoo huffs in a playful indignation, eyes rolling from the particular description that he loathes while cleaning his upper and lower teeth with his tongue to swipe off the soybean paste from eating jajangmyeon.  _Cute_  is not his cup of tea and hearing someone call him  _cute_  usually irks him. But since it’s Jongin and he has managed to grow fond of the younger, it didn’t annoy him at all like the usual. “I would say the same thing to you.”  
  
Kyungsoo doesn’t miss the brush of pink on Jongin’s cheeks as he says those words. Jongin almost sprays his drink, but he manages to gulp his drink and afterwards grins widely. “I’d really defy fate, hyung.”  
  
There is the look on his face again that has Kyungsoo looking away, getting uncomfortable, yet stealing glances as well at the other man across him. “Uh, you have a stain on your teeth too, I’ve been telling you awhile ago.” The corner of his lips tilts into a smirk. They’re finally quits. Jongin’s face flames, eyes widening and he surreptitiously wipes his teeth with his tongue as it bulges his lips. Kyungsoo muffles his laughter, yet finding the other endearing this way.  
  
The clinking of bowl and metal chopsticks fills the silence and Kyungsoo, still can’t help but steal glances at Jongin’s way.  
  
“Do you want to meet your soulmate?” The dreaded question that Kyungsoo wanted to dodge was asked and silence fills the air as Kyungsoo doesn’t have a solid answer for that yet.  
  
But judging by the look on Jongin’s expression, waiting for Kyungsoo’s honest answer, Kyungsoo opens up his mouth to speak, at least tell him the truth of how he feels, but Jongin cuts him to it.  
  
“You don’t need to give me an answer. I understood that look on your face.” And just like that, they resumed in eating and change the topic of soulmates to cats and dogs.  
  
As they parted away into the night, Jongin walking Kyungsoo to his door, he speaks up what wans to tell to Jongin.  
  
“About your question earlier, it’s ‘I don’t know’. I don’t know what I should feel, what I should do once I get my soulmate clock.” He stares straight into Jongin’s eyes that stares right back at him attentively, humming in return. “Well, thank you for the dinner.” Kyungsoo effortlessly reaches out his hand to ruffle Jongin’s hair that has the other closing his eyes like a cat or like a dog being petted on the head. It was a cute sight, again, as always. “You did well. Watching those Youtube videos paid off.” He so badly wants to tell Jongin how cuter he is than him, but maybe he would just save it next time and savour the puppy look on his face for now.  
  
At the back of his mind, he wants to kiss Jongin on the cheek. A gesture of appreciation and gratitude for the night, but he doesn’t so as not to scare the other male from his abrupt behaviour.  
  
Goodnight’s and see you tomorrow’s were exchanged seconds later, elated expressions on their faces gleams in the night and with one last fleeting glance, and as their doors closes, Kyungsoo brings his right hand on his chest where his rapid heartbeat slams against his ribcage that tells something to Kyungsoo but for now, he wants to keep this feeling to himself, locked in secret.  
  
  
  
  


 

~*~

 

 

 

 

 

 

The clock on his wrist reads 66:00:00 then seconds starts dwindling like how the long hand of the wall clock moves in sync with his soulmate clock.  
  
  
Kyungsoo can’t sleep. He should be sleeping by now, but the sudden appearance of his soulmate clock on his wrist kept him awake for hours as dread and fear fills his chest instead of excitement and happiness for finally meeting his soulmate three days after.  
  
But the problem is he doesn’t want to meet his soulmate. He’s afraid to find who the person is as many people had already proved that not every soulmate couples can have an everlasting and strong foundation of relationship for a lifetime and he’s afraid that whatever bond he was tied with this person would only just be for temporary. And not just that, he has another reason why he doesn’t want to know who the person is yet.  
  
  
So he calls Chanyeol late that night.  
  
  
“Soo,” Chanyeol’s gruff voice greets him from the other line.  
  
  
“Did I wake you up?” Kyungsoo bites his lower lip worriedly, feeling guilty for waking Chanyeol up if ever he’s already sleeping when he called.  
  
  
“Yeah, but don’t mind. So why the sudden call?” There’s rustling from the other line and another voice saying  _who’s that?_. Chanyeol answers,  _it’s Kyungsoo_  before going back to Kyungsoo. “Hello?”  
  
  
“Sorry for disturbing you and your companion—“  
  
  
“Sehun,” Kyungsoo can detect a smile forming on his friend’s lips from the mention of the name. It’s apparent how affectionate he enunciated the syllables of the man’s name and Kyungsoo knows it by now that this person is, “my soulmate.” Chanyeol confirms.  
  
  
“Oh,” Kyungsoo feels slightly envious of Chanyeol as it seems like it turned out to be okay with him meeting his soulmate. Would it be okay for him too once he meets the person soul bonded to him too?  
  
“So, what’s up? You okay? It’s 2am in the morning, Kyungsoo.”  
  
His eyes soon flick towards his wall clock, hand gripping on his phone tightly. “I think I’m not okay, Yeol.”  
  
“Do you want me to go there right now?”  
  
“No, no, don’t leave Se-Sehun,” Kyungsoo takes a deep breath, and then he pinches his nose a little, exhaling. “It’s just, I got my soulmate clock three hours ago and I can’t sleep.”  
  
“You finally got it?” Chanyeol whisper shouts from the other line then there’s a sound of feet pounding downstairs.  
  
“Yeah,” another sigh, “but I’m scared. I’m just like you, Yeol. Scared and unsure of this. What if my soulmate isn’t really the one for me? Like, like what happened to your parents?”  
  
“I know the feeling, Soo.” Chanyeol breathes and it’s silent for awhile, the two never speaking. “But you gotta try it with this person and see what happens. I know some things don’t last at all, but even if a lot of people didn’t get happy in the end with their assigned soulmates, this is still worth a shot, I think.”  
  
“Don’t you know that Sehun’s parents didn’t last too after his mom gave birth to him? But do you know what he told me? That even whatever force of nature or if it’s even fate’s work to let every human being have their own assigned soulmates to them without the assurance of everlasting journey together, it will always be up to the couple whether they’ll make the relationship work or not. It’s still up to us, Kyungsoo, whether we would keep the relationship healthy or just completely give up on it. It’s always up to our hands, not the soulmates clocks, not the symbols.”  
  
“But what if I’m already in love with someone else?” Kyungsoo just blurted it out without meaning to tell it already to Chanyeol when in fact he’s not sure with this feeling yet whether he already did fall in love or it was just physical attraction.  
  
“W-What?” Chanyeol sounds incredulous and Kyungsoo already see that coming as he sighs in response. “You’re in love? To whom? Oh, let me guess—“  
  
“I don’t know yet. I don’t know, Chanyeol, I don’t know.”  
  
“But you have feelings for him,” Chanyeol says as if Kyungsoo’s feelings are already confirmed. “and let me guess, you want him to be your soulmate am I right? The reason you’re scared?”  
  
Kyungsoo has his hand sliding down his face in frustration and he throws himself on his bed again, back laying flat on his white mattress and left wrist raised upwards where his soulmate clock is ticking as he takes a glance on it. “I don’t know.”  
  
“Looks like it is to me,” Chanyeol’s confident reply. “What do you plan to do?”  
  
“I don’t know. Really, I just don’t know.” Kyungsoo covers his eyes with his arm. “I just want somebody to know how frustrated I am right now and I feel like shit having this clock on my wrist. I just want it gone. Why can’t we just choose the person ourselves without relying to these clocks?”  
  
There’s a brief silence and only the ticking of the clock on the wall fills the quiet atmosphere.  
  
“Because this is the world we live in, Kyungsoo. This is how nature works for us no matter how much we dislike it. The only thing we can do is whether we should accept our fate or not. Accept our soulmate and love them endlessly or not. Like I said, it will always be up to us in the end.”  
  
“How about you? Do you plan to love Sehun endlessly? Irrevocably? Infinitely? Forever?”  
  
“I’ll try.” Chanyeol’s smile is too loud for Kyungsoo’s ears to hear, that fear consumes his heart more and more. “That’s my choice. And it’s just a matter of time to find out what your choice will be, Kyungsoo. Remember, it will always be up to you.”  
  
Chanyeol is right though, Kyungsoo knows within himself that he’s afraid that his soulmate won’t be the person he expects to be.  
  


  
~*~

  
  
  
It’s Thursday when Kyungsoo brings out his garbage outside when he sees Jongin on his way to the  
university.  
  
“Hyung,” Jongin greets with his perfect white teeth, but Kyungsoo could see the prominent dark bags under his eyes, until he flicks his gaze down to Jongin’s left wrist.  
  
“Your wrist,” Kyungsoo can see it perfectly, the same numbers he just had on his left wrist. “You got it last night?”  
  
“Oh, this?” Jongin takes a look on his soulmate clock with a grim expression on his face. “Yeah, last night at 11pm,” he puts down his arm and shoves his hands in his pockets. “I honestly don’t want to rely to it. Not at all times, soulmate clocks are right, right?.”  
  
Something from the way Jongin has said these words brought Kyungsoo’s chest in a state of heaviness, but he kept to himself the twinge of sadness blossoming from his chest by acting nonchalant and laugh a little about it.  
  
“Yeah, yeah, I agree.” Kyungsoo scratches his neck with a finger and turns away. “Have a great day at school, okay?” Nodding, he stretches his arm awkwardly towards the next street before walking ahead of Jongin to go back to his place.  
  
But Jongin grabs his left arm, holding his wrist gently as he traces the moving numbers on Kyungsoo’s wrist. “You got it too.”  
  
They lock gazes, but Kyungsoo breaks away and looks at Jongin’s fingers wrapped around his arm, but he pulls his arm away from the younger man. “Last night too.”  
  
“Last night,” Jongin repeats, his coffee colored eyes are directed intently at Kyungsoo’s restless ones. “So in three days, you’ll meet the person huh?”  
  
Kyungsoo nods in return, shoulders heaving up then down. “Same goes to you. Whoever the person is, good luck?”  
  
“Hyung?” Jongin calls gently, pleadingly and Kyungsoo lifts up his chin to look up into his eyes. “Are you excited to meet your soulmate?”  
  
Kyungsoo laughs from the question, but his laughter sounded bitter and sad, though he thinks Jongin wouldn’t be able to detect it anyway. “Excited? Should I be excited? Are you excited?”  
  
Jongin doesn’t reply at all, but stares back at Kyungsoo expectantly, patiently waiting for an answer.  
  
Kyungsoo sighs and chews on his lips. “Nope,” he shrugs. “No, I’m not. I don’t know what will happen once the symbol appears on my wrist. I actually don’t know what to do. I guess, I have to find out. But, no I’m not really excited about it.”  
  
“I see,” Jongin looks up at the sky, hands shoved in his pockets as he stands tall and immaculate under the gleaming sun. “I guess,” his eyes turn to Kyungsoo. “good luck to us, hyung.”  
  
“Good luck.” Nodding and smiling tightly, Jongin soon waves and bids goodbye as he takes the left direction to his bus stop.  
  
Kyungsoo watches him disappear from the corner before climbing up to his place and start working on his new project.  
  


  
~*~

  
  
  
_**56:00:00**_  
It’s late in the afternoon when his project for this overseas company was finally done, and he just received his pay right after. The urge to breathe some fresh air came knocking to his mind, so he shuffles off from his place to take a walk outside and to reflect on things too.  
  
The streets are crowded with students who just left their schools and universities. Seeing them had him thinking about Jongin who must be at the convenience store right now, working. But he shrugs the thought of visiting the younger man. He shouldn’t get too attached with him anymore, knowing that he’ll soon have his own soulmate three days after and Kyungsoo is a man who always tries to avoid conflict with other people despite the gnawing urge within him to see the younger male.  
  
But no, he can’t get too attached. So taking the next street across the convenience store, the local bookstore from a distance looks appealing for him to go to. And so he drags his feet towards the quaint store and spends his time there for awhile.  
  
 _ **54: 32: 45**_  
It’s evening. Kyungsoo just realized the time when he finished a book of accounts about soulmates and people who has experienced the downsides and upsides of it. The stories about success are very heartwarming. Kyungsoo can’t help but feel a tremendous jealousy of what these people got to have. It reminds him of his late parents too who are one of the few he knows that got lucky to be each other’s soulmates. It was a pacifying thought, but now, it’s his time to know whether he’ll be like his parents or not.  
  
Jealousy and envy. These are the feelings blooming from his heart as he reads the accounts of these lucky couples. He wishes too that he can find someone who can love him truly and wholeheartedly. He wishes he can have someone who will stay with him always no matter what the circumstances are, no matter how much misunderstanding and fights they might face and he wishes he can have someone who will embrace him for who he is, whatever his flaws are.  
  
Would his soulmate be like that?  
  
He hopes so, he wishes so.  
  
 _ **50: 09: 43**_  
On his way back to his apartment, he passes by the convenience store Jongin is working at. But since it’s late in the evening and he knew Jongin’s shift ends at exactly 4pm, he doesn’t find the younger man there at all as he enters the store to buy some snacks.  
  
While collecting some boxes of pancakes and cereal and putting them in his basket, someone approaches him and says, “You’re Jongin’s friend, right? I saw you countless of times with Jongin. By the way, I’m Luhan, store’s manager.”  
  
Kyungsoo’s eyes flick at Luhan’s proffered hand and he takes it, shaking it firmly and politely before letting go. “Yes, I’m Kyungsoo. It’s a pleasure to know you Luhan-ssi.”  
  
“I see that you got your clock too. Same as Jongin,” Luhan says and Kyungsoo realizes that his wrist was exposed for the other man to see his ticking soulmate clock. He immediately hides his wrist and just concedes.  
  
“I got it last night.”  
  
“Hm,” Luhan hums, a friendly grin etched on his lips. “But earlier, Jongin got a visitor making a commotion practically telling every customer that files in that Jongin is his soulmate. It was kinda loud earlier. Good thing you didn’t witness it. Poor Jongin looking so embarrassed and shy and cute because of his friend.” He chuckles, finding the whole story endearing and amusing, but not to Kyungsoo.  
  
As a matter of fact, Kyungsoo’s grip on his basket handle tightens, while his other knuckle turns to a fist, his insides flaming indescribably. He keeps mum for a moment until an “Oh?” slips off from his lips and then he doesn’t know what to say no more.  
  
Luhan pats his shoulder amicably. “Thought you’d know, so you can tease him about it. Jongin is really fun to tease. I’ll see you around.” He leaves to the back door, leaving Kyungsoo glaring at the boxes he had in his basket.  
Kyungsoo is not in the mood to buy some snacks anymore, so he leaves his basket on the aisle before walking out of the store, looking pissed.  
  
 _ **49: 50: 00**_  
With a heavy heart and brows narrowing, Kyungsoo arrives home safely, hands tucked in his pockets. He wants to go to bed and sleep away. All thoughts of hoping he can find the perfect soulmate for him was forgotten as he finally admitted to himself on his way home that he doesn’t want anyone to be his soulmate unless it’s Jongin.  
  
But Jongin seems to like this  _friend_  of his based from Luhan’s description how shy, embarrassed and cute Jongin is whenever they tease him with his friend.  
  
Who the fuck is this friend anyway?  
  
Kyungsoo feels like he’s going to get crazy from the thought of Jongin smiling and talking happily with this friend of his. It annoys him to the nth power that he wants to barge in Jongin’s place right away and tell him how he wants him to be his, not whoever this fucking soulmate assigned to him.  
  
Or maybe he really should do that now.  
  
“Right,” Kyungsoo convinces himself and he’s dead set on telling Jongin right now that he likes him in a special way. He likes him and he knows if he was asked by the higher being whom he wants to be his soulmate, he would not think for a second, but blurt out Jongin’s name directly without beating the bush.  
  
So Kyungsoo climbs the stairs two steps at a time, heart fluttering from his chest with every step he takes, beads of sweat rolling down from his hairline stopping to his brows, and as he arrives at the second floor hallway panting on his knees, Kyungsoo’s knees turn weak and his chest feels like being pricked a hundred times from a thousand of needles from the sight before him.  
  
Just from a distance, he sees the man he likes, pinned on the door, pliant as he’s being thoroughly kissed by another man, gripping his hips to guide him in a rocking motion.  
  
Kyungsoo stays frozen a step behind the stairs and just one wrong move and he’ll definitely fall. Though, he really doesn’t care now whether he falls or not, because in his perspective, he already fell two times in a row; first, fell in-love with his neighbor and second, he’s now falling from the abyss of hopelessness and heartbreak.  
  
He sprints off.  
  
 _ **45: 41: 08**_  
  
It’s dawn. Kyungsoo is now at Chanyeol’s place, weary and staring blankly at the cup of coffee his friend served to him.  
  
Kyungsoo can’t cry even if he wants to. He wants to cry, but the tears won’t just spill from his eyes. Or maybe, there’s really no reason for him to cry at all and his tears know it very well than him.  
  
Chanyeol across, stares at him worriedly, eyes flicking at his friend and then back to the cup of coffee on the center table. “Uh, it’s been awhile since you took me a visit,” he says and Kyungsoo hums in response. Then he asks, “W-What happened?”  
  
Kyungsoo’s chest feels heavy like it is being squeezed harshly and he’s suffocating. He’s emotionally exhausted and he doesn’t know what step he should do next. Sleep? He doesn’t even feel like sleeping and going straight to Chanyeol’s place without notice makes him feel guilty for bothering his friend too. He feels emotionally and physically wrecked.  
  
“I don’t know what to do anymore. I always don’t know what to do anyway,” he says truthfully, eyes glued on the wooden table. “Maybe, if I didn’t get this soulmate clock, I wouldn’t feel awful like this.”  
  
Chanyeol remains silent, all ears for his friend.  
  
“I like him,” Kyungsoo mumbles miserably, fingers clutching on his hair in a frustrating way. “I like him so much. I don’t know how and why it happened, but all I know is that I like him.” A sniffle finally comes and Kyungsoo’s tears drop down to his cheeks and hastily, he covers his face with his hands, words muffled as he says, “But he’s not for me.”  
  
“Oh, Kyungsoo,” Chanyeol shuffles forward and sits right next to his friend, but he doesn’t pat his back or do something else in order to comfort him and Kyungsoo is grateful for it, because he really doesn’t like it when people do comfort him with a pat or a rub on the back when he becomes emotionally distressed. It only makes him feel worse and makes him cry more when a person tries to comfort him physically.  
  
“I saw him,” Kyungsoo still doesn’t uncover his wet face. “I saw him with someone else,” voice muffled, but he knows Chanyeol catches the words as he says them. “They’re kissing. And Chanyeol, he told me before that he’d defy fate! Maybe this is it. He’d defy fate for that person he’s kissing with!”  
  
“Kissing, huh?” Chanyeol sounds neutral.  
  
“Ah, fuck,” Kyungsoo wipes his cheeks hastily with the back of his hands and frowns. He hates crying and it’s been years since he last cried when his parents died, and now, tears occupy his eyes once again that was triggered by Jongin. “Damn feelings.”  
  
“So what do you plan to do?” Chanyeol doesn’t instigate anything and Kyungsoo honestly doesn’t want to hear any advices for now.  
  
Kyungsoo sniffles. “What I plan?” His red rimmed eyes meet Chanyeol’s expectant ones. “what else? Move on and see who this soulmate I got is.”  
  
“Just like that?”  
Kyungsoo nods, swallowing a huge lump from his throat before saying the words with certainty. “Just like that.”  
  
But Kyungsoo knows, it will be a hard task for him to move on when his unrequited love just lives next door to his. Besides, words are easier said than done. It’s always like that to him.  
  


  
~*~

  
  
  
_**38: 09: 31**_  
  
The next day, Kyungsoo doesn’t go out of his apartment. He didn’t take requests for a job that day and opted to stay indoors to drown himself with movies with his cat right beside his seat. Watching movies had him occupied and it was helping him forget about last night. But halfway to the movies he’d watch, he can’t help but stray his attention away from the movie and relieve what he had seen the previous night.  
  
He closes his eyes tight shut to brush off the memory, but it retains behind his eyelids and there’s a prick of pain shooting in his chest once again. He cracks his eyes open and then stare blankly at the movie playing on his TV set.  
  
 _ **31: 45: 02**_  
“Hyung,” Jongin greets him with his amicable smile and Kyungsoo doesn’t return it at all as he just passes by Jongin like he didn’t see him at all. Kyungsoo walks downstairs nonchalantly, hands in his pocket jeans. He doesn’t want to talk to Jongin.  
  
“Hyung, wait!” The younger man chases him down the stairs and Kyungsoo wants to run back to his apartment and lock himself there until his soulmate clocks turns zero. But he faces Jongin with an annoyed look he doesn’t mean to exhibit and he regrets it instantly as he sees the spark of fear in Jongin’s eyes.  
  
“What?” He asks grimly and he really really wants to flee right now, bury his face on his pillows and never speak again.  
  
Jongin’s gloomy eyes sent a wave of guilt towards Kyungsoo’s chest. He wants to take back how harsh he talked to Jongin, but he can’t hide the fact that he’s still hurting from what happened last night and he somehow wants him to know how deranged he was after seeing him kissing a guy.  
  
“A-Are you okay, hyung?” Jongin hesitates, but he tries and Kyungsoo really wants to give in and tell him right now he feels. But no, he can’t. Jongin likes someone else, right? He already got the person he yearns to have and if he confessed, the answer would still be the same. Jongin would outright tell him that he doesn’t see him that way. That he’s just a good neighbor, a good friend and companion, nothing more than that. So why should he waste time and effort to tell him his feelings when he’ll just get rejected too, right?  
  
Kyungsoo gives him a hard look. “I’m fine, so stop talking to me.”  _Do I even look okay to you?_  
  
There’s a hint of hurt that crossed Jongin’s face right after he blurted out those words. Kyungsoo isn’t sure, but maybe he’s overthinking things. Jongin looks hurt to him, but maybe to Jongin, not really. So he walks briskly downstairs out of the apartment building without any idea where to go. He wants to go somewhere, but seeing Jongin and telling him to stop talking to him made him feel bad and uneasy, making his mind wrecked and he really doesn’t know anymore where to go.  
  
 _ **28:00:00**_  
Seven hours passed, Kyungsoo checks the soulmate clock on his wrist and leans his forehead on the edge of the bookshelf before returning the book he's been reading mindlessly back in its place. Sure, he's been picking up books here and there, but couldn't find himself to read them seriously as his mind would always fly back to Jongin's seemingly sad face from their earlier encounter.  
  
Realizing how late it is, he shuffles out of the bookstore, hugging his coat close to him as he braves the chilly air.  
  
Once back to the apartment complex, his eyes flit at Jongin's door next to him before entering his own and picking up Ringgo for dinner.  
  
For the remainder of the night, Kyungsoo just watches movies from his laptop in his room until his eyes get tired, giving up to slumber, Ringgo snuggling to his chest.  
  
  
 _ **15:30:04**_  
He wakes up, stretching his arms before sauntering to the bathroom to wash up. His air is in disarray and line marks covers his left cheek from sleeping to long facing the left side. After doing his business and brushing up his teeth, the bold numbers of 15:30:04 glares at him as it was reflected on the mirror when he raised his wrist moving in a circular motion as it brushes his front teeth. He spits the foam from his mouth, gurgles before staring at himself on the mirror, his palms planted on the edge of his sink as he studies his face.  
  
"You'll meet the person soon," he embeds in his mind, convincing himself that it will happen soon. 15 more hours to go.  
  
 _ **7:45:47**_  
The day went by without him walking out of his room. He drowned himself from working on new graphic designs requested to him and it had been a good distraction, a therapeutic one as his stress levels dwindled to none. Drawing and designing keeps his mind at ease. That is why he loves his profession so much. Being an online graphic designer is the mundane life he had chosen. Being a freelancer for him is better. Though there were times he wanted to apply to a company as the pay there is higher than what he receives. Yet, he's taking it as well to consideration for the next year, but as of now, he just wants to work home based.  
  
Hours passed and the thought of his soulmate clock on his wrist didn't cross his mind, until, a desperate knock on his door comes. Trudging to the door with Ringgo tailing behind, he opens the door and is met with Jongin's distressed face.  
  
"Hyung, can we talk?"  
Desperation.  
  
"Please?"  
  
Surrendering to the younger man's plea, Kyungsoo steps aside to let Jongin inside.  
  
 _ **7:30:24**_  
Swiftly, Kyungsoo prepares two mugs of tea and serves it on the table where Jongin was waiting.  
  
"Thanks," the soft smile stretched on his lips was not missed by Kyungsoo as he settles across the latter.  
  
"Speak up," he doesn't intend to sound cold, but he can't help it. And so to weaken the heavy atmosphere surrounding him, he brings the edge of his mug to his lips for a sip of his drink.  
  
"Why were you avoiding me?" Jongin asks tensely, fingers curled around his warm mug of tea, pained eyes locked with Kyungsoo's expectant ones. "I've been trying to talk to you. I've been always waiting for you to talk to me, but you didn't. And I feel like I did or said something wrong and I want to know what I did to make you ignore me." His head hangs low, fingers twiddling while Kyungsoo's mouth falls agape from the latter's courage to speak up like this to him when he, meanwhile, is too scared to ask Jongin about what he had witnessed that night.  
  
"Tell me, hyung. Because I don't want this. I want you to stop ignoring me. I want you to talk to me always like before. I want us to get closer." The last part was mumbled softly, though audible to Kyungsoo's ears. "I like you."  
  
And it really had been said. Kyungsoo backpedals and pipes a "What?" in disbelief and mentally tells himself that he might be hearing things, that what he hears is what he wants to hear that his mind has conjured up to hallucinate him.  
  
  
But contrary to his thinking, the intense yet sincere stare that Jongin bores to his own tells otherwise and it was just in a matter of seconds when Jongin voices out again what Kyungsoo has been hoping to hear someday. "I like you."  
  
They engaged in a long staring competition, reading and trying to comprehend the look in their eyes when Kyungsoo soon averts his gaze, warmth spreading across his cheeks as his heart rabits behind his ribcage. "We're not soulmates."  
  
"I don't care." Jongin's hasty, sincere and determined reply, a firm smile playing on his lips. "I don't care."  
  
Slowly, Kyungsoo turns to the other, but his heart and mind can still remember the night where he found Jongin pinned on the wall, kissing someone with utmost fervor. "But the guy," he starts, gaze fixed at Jongin's surprised state.  
  
"The guy," he parrots quietly until it dawns to him the little detail given to him. "You saw?"  
  
"I did," Kyungsoo swallows hard, the pain he felt that night surfaces once again to his chest, yet his eyes remains glued to Jongin's bewildered ones.  
  
Then he rakes his eyes down to the surface of the table. "It was a mistake." Kyungsoo didn't say a word, giving Jongin time to arrange his thoughts. "Taemin was my ex."  
  
"Ex," repeats Kyungsoo dangerously deep and low.  
  
"That day, he visited me at the store Taemin showed me his soulmate clock and kept on telling everyone that he’s my soulmate.”  
  
“You’re in good terms with your ex, I see.” Kyungsoo is trying hard to conceal his jealousy, still.  
  
“But hyung, what we had before was nothing serious!” Jongin becomes defensive all of a sudden, looking very eager to tell everything Kyungsoo needs to know. His eyes lower. “We were boyfriends back in junior high, but we were just trying, experimenting. We might have touched each other here and there out of curiosity but that was just all to it. I didn’t fall in love with him, although, before I moved here, he confessed to me that he wanted to try again, that he wanted to love me. But I can only see him as my friend, my bestfriend, a brother, that’s all he is to him and nothing more.”  
  
“But you kissed him.”  
  
“I did,” exasperatedly, Jongin curls his fingers through his hair and bonks his head on the surface of the table before mumbling in explanation, his voice a tad lower, but audible. “But it was a mistake. It felt wrong.”  
  
Kyungsoo clenches his fists on the surface of the table, suppressing the urge to reach out to the other, pat his head and say that’s  _it’s okay_ , but words contrary to what he wants to say trickles out from his mouth. “You still kissed him and that means something.”  
  
“But when I kissed him, it’s you who appeared in my head, hyung.” Jongin looks wasted. “It was a brief kiss. It didn’t last. I told him that we can’t. I can’t, that I can’t see him the way he sees me.”  
  
“You still kissed him. There has to be something.”  
  
Jongin lifts up his head, forehead knitting as lines formed out of stress. “I might had kissed him, but it doesn’t mean anything,” his voice drops lower and lower, but his eyes looks so eager to point his message across to Kyungsoo. “What should I do so you would believe me?”  
  
The air is stifling, Kyungsoo drags his nails on his palm curled. He’s hyperaware that he’s making things more complicated when the explanation has been finally said. But to Kyungsoo, he wants assurance. He wants to be sure before he commits to whatever this is that they will have. He wants to assure himself that Jongin really means everything that he said, that the kiss only meant nothing and it just happened at the spur of the moment. He wants to be sure, because getting hurt in the end is what he dreads the most. Yet, he left it like that. He didn’t want to prolong that matter anymore.  
  
“Do you like me too, hyung?” It was very forward of Jongin to ask. His serene face that Kyungsoo used to see is now replaced by lines of worry across his forehead and brows, eyes searching, hopeful and expecting.  
  
He senses it. Kyungsoo sees it in Jongin’s eyes, sees through him the answer that he’s looking for. How eager Jongin looked like at the moment is something that is enough to trust. Kyungsoo can get paranoid most of the times as it has been always his flaw. He always feels fear of what is about to come, he always worries, but maybe this time, he should fully trust Jongin. But not just Jongin, but his feelings for the man too.  
  
“I do.”  
  
The smile that curls up on Jongin’s lips is really just enough for now as it finally calms the hurricane brewing in his chest the previous hours.  
  
"But, what about our soulmates?" Kyungsoo queries, worriedly.  
  
"Do you even care about who your soulmate is when I'm the person you actually like?"  
  
"You really want this do you?"  
  
"Well, do you?"  
  
"I do," Kyungsoo sighs and stares at his open palms, scrutinizing the lines that maps his skin there. "But I’ll feel bad for whoever my soulmate is." Warm hands grasped his open palms, holding them firmly while his eyes rake up into Jongin's comforting ones that hold assurance and promise that it will be okay no matter what happens after they meet their soulmates.  
  
"I would feel bad too, but once the symbol of my soul match appears on my wrist and as I meet that person, I'd be honest to him and I'd tell him about you. How late these soulmate clocks were for appearing that I fell in love with you first before I met him and that I'll be choosing you over him, so I'd tell him the truth."  
  
The answer that came from Jongin's lips surprised Kyungsoo that got his eyes widening and lips parting that he wants to say something but nothing comes out, so it gave Jongin a sign to speak. "I'll prove to you that I'm worth it. That’s it’s you whom I’m willing to defy fate with."  
  
To say that he dislike the turn of events when he only have ten more hours to meet his soulmate, Kyungsoo is utterly pleased and feels like he's in cloud nine. Getting his feelings reciprocated was a surreal experience for him and unlike other people who'd question such unforeseen event, Kyungsoo knows that it's real so with a squeeze of assurance of Jongin's hand, Jongin curves up a smile, eyes crinkling as they see understanding reflected on each other's irises. Kyungsoo would like to give it a shot.  
  
  
 _ **2:01:00**_  
Another five hours passed after the unforeseen confession. They part ways to give each other time and space for the meantime. There were no kisses or hugs, but only fleeting glances bound to stay longer. It's mutual and Kyungsoo wants to soar in joy, but the guilt prickling in his chest doesn't make him extremely happy in this situation.  
  
He's in the public library, sifting through the pages of public accounts shared by people about their experiences with their first meetings with their soulmates. He has read accounts similar to his dilemma at this time--liking someone, but feeling guilty to hurt his soulmate in the end. Kyungsoo so badly wants to make it work with Jongin, but thinking deeply about it, once again, he has someone matched to him, presumably, not Jongin at all. He still worries on what will happen next and he only got two hours left before he meets his soulmate.  
  
 _Would it be here in the bookstore? Down the street?_  
Kyungsoo worries his lip soon as he returns the book he’s reading and perusing the deserted tables on his way downstairs. And that’s when he starts nail biting—a habit that he wants to get over with, but recurring when nervous.  
  
He doesn’t stop biting his nail even as he got through the exit of the building. It’s dark. The streets are washed by the yellow gleam of the streetlights, along with the open establishments providing more light. People whisked by him and the glaring numbers moving on his wrist, second by second, minute by minute, muddles his mind.  
  
He feels torn. He might have told Jongin he wants to give them a chance despite their soulmates they have to turn down to, but guilt crawls to his chest as he doesn’t know what to do.  
  
“Hyung?”  
  
He looks up. The yellow beam from the lamp post nearby obscures his sight, making him squint as he has his thumb nail in between his teeth which he pulls out hastily as Jongin’s worried face blocks his way.  
  
“Jongin.” His heart stutters. “What are you doing here?”  
  
“I was walking around.” To his surprise, Jongin catches his hand and weaves their fingers together. “Two hours more. Let’s meet our soulmates together?” Jongin carefully traces his eyes on the intricate numbers swirling Kyungsoo’s wrist before catching his eyes.  
  
“We shouldn’t.” Kyungsoo retracts his hand away from Jongin and hides his wrist behind him.  
  
“Why not?” Jongin pouts and Kyungsoo turns away so as not to stare at those tempting lips.  
  
“Because we can’t.”  
“Yes, we can.” Jongin grabs his hand again and smiles. Kyungsoo attempts to pull away as it seems the other male wants to have a taste of his strength, but Jongin’s grip on his hand has him submitting to the other.  
  
 _ **00:45:01**_  
The remaining time they had was spent by roaming aimlessly around the city. Basically, it was Jongin who kept on talking and bringing Kyungsoo to many places, mostly apparel stores that were about a minute to close, yet Jongin was too adamant to frolic around and Kyungsoo is just too occupied to care.  
  
For a few months of being neighbors then wordlessly turned to friends, seeing Jongin talk jovially with his pretty eye smile on, sends his stomach to flutter relentlessly.  
  
He let Jongin pull him in and out of stores and the younger male even went to the underwear section to check on some neon colored boxers to buy. In the end, and to the remaining employee’s relief, Jongin bought three sets of neon colored boxers because he just can’t resist them at all in which Kyungsoo finds it adorable of the younger so to speak.  
  
It didn’t just end there. There was even a gift shop that was about to close and yet, Jongin begged for the older man to let them inside. Kyungsoo nudged Jongin and shook his head that they should just leave, but Jongin was hell-bent on this, pleading and even telling the older man, “Please Ahjussi, I want to buy something for my boyfriend.”  
  
It brought Kyungsoo’s cheeks flaming and standing awkward right beside Jongin. He flashed a timid smile over the shop owner and with that, they were welcomed inside, saying they will be the last customer for their shop that day.  
  
After minutes of trudging around the small shop filled with cutesy things that were ceremoniously arranged by rainbow colors, Jongin grabbed an orange music box, a miniature figure of a carousel and three kids on it was situated on the top and a key automatically inserted to it was twisted afterwards. A soft melodious high key music of  _Somewhere Over the Rainbow_  filled the silence and to say that Kyungsoo wasn’t captured by its lulling music is a lie, because just by hearing the tune playing calmed his nerves, causing his eyes to fall shut and reminisce the days he was living with his family. Somewhere in the deepest recesses of his brain, he was able to dig up that certain memory where he could remember his mother lulling the same tune to him to sleep.  
  
The music stops.  
  
Kyungsoo flutters his eyes open only to see Jongin gazing at him with his softest smile. “Let’s have it.”  
  
“You don’t have to.”  
  
“But I want to.” Jongin grinned, before patting Kyungsoo’s shoulder. “You like the music.”  
  
Licking his lips in surrender, Kyungsoo nods his head. “I do. It reminds me of my mom.”  
  
They look at each other’s eyes. And if Kyungsoo has to be honest, he really loves seeing Jongin smile, it fizzes something warm at the pit of his chest or tummy. Well, he doesn’t know anymore, but the feeling of something frothing inside him overwhelms him and it’s torturous in a good kind of way.  
  
“Then I’ll let you have it.”  
  
“No—“ Jongin shook his head vigorously, opposing to Kyungsoo’s next few words.  
  
“We’ll get it. And if it makes you feel better, you can buy anything for me too.” It was a good bargain to begin with, so Kyungsoo didn’t argue with it anymore as he traipses the aisles of the gift shop while Jongin is down the counter, paying for the music box when he saw the perfect gift he would have for Jongin.  
  
It was a crudely knitted scarf in pink neon wool.  
  
 _ **00:00:00**_  
  
It’s past midnight when Kyungsoo and Jongin arrived back at the apartment complex. The scarf was finally wrapped around Jongin’s scrawny neck, pink neon color a stark contrast on his skin, but he kept voicing out how he loved it and Kyungsoo could only smile coyly in return, while sipping on his banana milk he and Jongin bought back at the convenience store.  
  
They reach their floor, but decided to stay for awhile at the stairs, sitting at the side of the railing as they take sips of their banana milk. There’s a pregnant silence, and then the sound of gurgling from Kyungsoo’s carton of milk as he empties it. The carton deflates and he toys with it for awhile, until his heart picks up in pace when he remembered that his soulmate clock would have reached zero by now.  
  
“It’s a clover,” Jongin suddenly intones, voice dripping in surprise, but face still lacking of emotion. “It means luck, right?”  
  
“A clover?” Kyungsoo’s eyes widened, his beating heart rapidly thundering against his chest and ears. If Jongin finally got his symbol, it only means, Kyungsoo got his too. Instantly, even if Kyungsoo isn’t ready to see the symbol he got on his wrist and an onslaught of questions fill his mind, because nothing is happening at all. There is still Kyungsoo and Jongin together when it should be some unforeseen event happening right now wherein their soulmates would miraculously, unexpectedly pops out of nowhere to finally meet them, but there’s nothing of that sort occurrence at all that makes Kyungsoo more nervous than he should be.  
  
For the hours he and Jongin wasted, the fact that they’ll be meeting their soulmates was not brought up. Their night was filled with playful strolling, talking and just fun. Their worries and soulmates were not tackled, and it was just a night like a typical friendly hang-out. And now, it was the time of fate’s verdict.  
  
“C-Clover...” Kyungsoo stares hard at the beautifully tattooed clover on his wrist.  
  
In just a blink of an eye, Jongin’s fingers circled around his wrist, bouts of laughter fills the quietude and as Kyungsoo lifts up his head to question Jongin’s sanity, that was when he sees it—the same clover symbol. The identical clover symbol on Jongin’s wrist was also imprinted on his.  
  
“This is a joke, isn’t it?” Kyungsoo can’t believe this happening. He doesn’t believe this. This is just probably a dream, a trick from their eyes, a hallucination. Kyungsoo’s mind is reeling with possibilities, with reasons to why would they see an identical symbol on their wrists. It burns and it glows on his skin. However, his thoughts were interrupted when Jongin laced their fingers together a perfectly puzzle fit, glee apparent on his handsome face.  
  
“We’re soulmates, hyung.” A bubble of laughter slips in between his lips, eyes crinkling into crescent moons and it’s at that sight that Kyungsoo finally realized how real it is that they’re undeniably soulmates.  
  
Kyungsoo’s face scrunches up from his huge smile plastered on his face. He squeezes Jongin’s hand, relief and bliss washing over him, filling him up to the brim. Never had he thought that this is how it will all end, soul bonded with the person he’s fallen in love with.  
“Soulmates.” And the symbols on their wrists that only the two of them could see, burned in a good kind of feeling.  
  
They might be soul bonded by fate, by destiny or whatever it is that matched them to be one, but the fact that they still have a long way to go, rough roads to pass through, bumps that they need to surpass, will still continue to linger in their lives, but that remains in their hands whether they’ll go through all the obstacles together in order to be with each other for as long as they live or just cut off the bond they were given, crushing everything to dusts. Thus, they will still be the writers of their lives, of the fate bestowed to them; it will be up to them whether they’ll write a good or a bad ending.

 


End file.
